'OOH'

Dear One,

Thinking what 'OOH' is? Well it is 'Out Of Home.' That's right the rock n roll mystic is going full time mystic for at least sometime. I shall not have internet connectivity to write new posts. So for the next half a month or so my posts shall be sporadic. So watch out for the space.

Nevertheless, I shall be back for more.

Stay grounded. Stay humble.

Journey To the Center - A Poem

Dear One,

It wanders aimlessly without any purpose
The path is dark and not a gleam of light on it's surface
It holds on to anything it comes across and doesn't let go
Even if it hurts you all the more

It makes the wrong seem right and the right seem wrong
It makes you weak when you ought to feel strong
It whispers nothingness and makes your head spin around
Till you feel dizzy and drop to the ground

Fear and doubt are it's closest allies
Making you a friend or a bitter foe
It puts vile barriers and closes the door
On all that matters and then it cares no more

Never resting, always in a flight
It makes your life a constant fight
Without peace it shall give you the worst frights
Only to make you spend some more sleepless nights

It craves for everything more
Without which you cannot live any more
It makes you beg and cry till you can fill it no more
Making it a hungry demon wanting still some more

It is the seed of creation
Where your fantasies are born
It makes you feel like a god
When you were born just a man

Only the bravest of brave can come face to face
To test the challenge of an ancient face
To conquer the last of it's dubious schemes
With the knowledge of soulful dreams

It is the mind I am talking about
Don't be fooled by it's charming gait
It shows you it's beautiful face
To make you accept it's ugly side

Go straight to the center of it's darkest realms
And torch it with the flame of knowledge
Burn all the worthless weeds
And keep all those fruitful seeds

Search for it in silence
In compassion let it grow
Reach out to everyone
Be it a friend or a foe

Make it still like a shoreless lake
Nothing to make it slither and shake
Overcome the greatest of human fears
To stand mighty for endless years

Take the plunge right away
Wait for no one to make you sway
Take the journey at the very first time
Or you will be waiting a hundred lifetimes

I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle

Dear One,

Simply, first watch this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY) on Youtube and then read on...NOW!!!

My gut wrenched with emotions when I heard Susan Boyle sing "I Dreamed A Dream." What a magnificent rendition and what a magnanimous lady. The unanimous winner of the 2009 Britain's Got Talent, Ms.Susan Boyle has taken the world by storm.

This diminutive 47 year old unemployed lady from Scotland was scoffed and dismissed the minute she stepped in for the audition round. With her outlandish and unkempt looks she was underscored for all the wrong reasons. The judges were cynical of the voice behind that not so beautiful face. The audience jeered and mocked at her when she confessed her admiration for her idol, Elaine Paige. Nobody took her seriously.

Then she sang.

And everyone listened. Time stood still and tears flowed from every mocking eye. The audience stood up in respectful ovation. Guilt was forgiven, ephemeral beauty was forgotten and in the end, soulful talent prevailed.

Susan Boyle had arrived.

Of Marriages and Parties

Dear One,

"I am getting married." That wasn't me, but a dear friend who got married yesterday. That was his last words of bachelorhood. It was hard to guess if it was a jubilant proclamation or a word of caution for the future grooms and brides to be. Jokes apart he seemed very happy indeed on the elaborate stage with his beautiful wife. They looked heavenly in their shimmering attires. As they say marriages are made in heaven and they were made truly for each other.

Coming back to the point of contention. Is marriage meant to be a jubilant proclamation of 'I Do' or a wise word of caution to fellow humans. Every religion says, marriage is holy and a sacred partnership intended to last for a lifetime. But do they really do?

That's a question most of our teens are vehemently asking. Seeing many parents undergo the pressures of keeping their marriages alive, many are getting cynical of this once sacred institution. At this rate, legal marriages will be defunct in some years hereon. One study says, 2 out of 5 marriages in Mumbai ultimately ends in divorce. However, a consoling fact is India has the lowest divorce rate (1.1%...I'm not kidding) when compared to countries like the US of A and Sweden who have 54.9% divorce rates. Sociologists have blamed this alarming rise on the hyper-urban lifestyle, the most common reason being lack of quality time.

With both the spouses working to make ends meet or simply put in pursuit of a bigger and better lifestyle forego the simple pleasures of companionship. They spend more hours in their respective offices than in their cozy homes together. Brother Cupid also plays its part well. Enter extra-marital affairs. Now I am not a puritan to pass judgements on people's lives or choices, however we are solely responsible for the holy or unholy mess we have gotten into.

So, what's the secret of a happy marriage? Well, all those who knew the secret are happily dead and gone; the rest are plainly lying. So, it is for us to scratch our heads eternally to find this evasive secret. Go on, make a choice. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Good Luck!

The Ten Heads Of Ravana

Dear One,

Ever heard the story of Ramayana. The ageless epic story of a wise King who went in search of his abducted beloved wife. This is the story of a man's singular quest and the numerous hurdles he faced in order to fulfill his earthly duties. Numerous bards have sang the greatness of this wondrous king by the name of Ram. He is worshipped as an incarnation of the Divine because he exemplified the qualities of being human.

One more character stands out in this story. The character of Ravana - The Demon King. Ravana was an repository of innumerable virtuous qualities. He possessed unparalleled mastery over all the vedas. He was a supreme devotee of Lord Shiva. One legend even says that he plucked his very guts and composed divine music to please his dear Lord. He was a past master in all the fine arts, a brilliant strategist and a supreme commander. Lanka in his times was a prosperous centre of learning, wealth and power.

Although Ravana possessed almost all the qualities similar to that of Ram, save one. Humility. He had ten heads to begin with. And each head bore a weight that his strong shoulders failed to support. He took immense pride in his knowledge and devotion. He forced the devas to sing his glory. He made heaven and earth his playground and marauded everything that came in his way. He also took a common man for granted and abducted his pious wife. Thence began his downfall.

Ravana in many ways is like our modern day educated, highly success driven and overtly self-obsessed  man. The only difference is, we are spared of the additional nine heads. We take immense pride in our intellect (Translated numerous university degrees to our credit) and in our accomplishments to a point of being self worshipful. And like the demon king we thrive to hear someone sing our praise 24/7. If we end up being the boss, we use our blatant rights to ensure no one escapes our pious ire. We take pride in displaying our superiority over the lesser mortals by branding them as incompetent and worthless fools.

We have come a long way in this beautiful game of evolution. Yet few things seldom change.

With due respects, give respect to everyone you meet on your way up, because you are going to surely meet them at your downward descent.

Why play the part of Ravana when you have the choice to play Ram.

Stay grounded. Be humble.

Suburban Train

Dear One,

Sometimes truth reveals itself  in odd settings. It happened to me today. I was coming back home in a suburban train after a long day's work and so were hundreds of people like me. We were a common breed of people caught in some distorted reality or the other trying to bring sense to an otherwise senseless life. We took pride that we were the bread winners of our families, and we worked tirelessly to fulfill our responsibilities.

The train passed through many stations; many new faces joined us and many left. Yet, all of us remained absorbed in distant oblivion. Although everyone pretended to be engrossed, our faces bore the same dull expression of eternal discontent. It bore a question of expectation, of a better tomorrow and of a troubled past. We had forgotten to live in the present.

As the train halted at a station an old sightless beggar woman boarded the train. She approached everyone with her wrinkled palms asking for a pice or two. Some feigned to be busy but many just chose to ignore her. Yet, she patiently went about doing her daily routine. She came and stood before me with her old hands out-stretched hoping to be rich by a rupee or two. My hands reached for the pocket as I glanced at her face.

What I saw, was a face filled with sublime serenity and resignation. A face filled with quiet dignity and repose. With no trace of complaint against the cruel twist of fate, she bore an unfaltering gait filled with resolute  confidence. A toothless smile rested on her calm face that seem to ask "Do not pity me. I might be poor by your standards, but I am rich nevertheless. What about you?"

I was filled with remorse and shame. Here I was, a young hearty man, with a life of relative ease. And there she was, a blind old destitute whose each day was like a dark moonless night. Despite her crippling infirmity, she possessed something that most of us don't have...A contended and a thankful heart.

She was blind just in her eyes. Unfortunately we are blind in our souls.

Finding Buddha

Dear One,

Under a tree, sat a man deep in contemplation about life and death. A noble prince, a devoted husband, a doting father and a dutiful son was he. All he wanted was to realize the truth. He left everything behind that he once valued, in search of it. Nothing could hold him back from reality.

A thousand questions ran in his troubled mind. He wondered if there is God, then why is there suffering. If there is suffering, then what is God doing. What is the basis of human suffering? Is there no respite from the wheel of birth and death. He questioned the wise men of his times, about his doubts and got shallow answers that were steeped in ageless tradition. Answers that could satisfy his intellect, but not appease his yearning soul. Answers derived from someone else's quest and not his own.

He travelled far and wide in search of wisdom. He climbed the highest mountains in search of truth only to come down disillusioned. He sat cross legged for hours mortifying his already frail body, yet the truth evaded him in every turn. He was forlorn and heart broken. His mind seized this opportunity and began to trick him off his faith. For the first time he felt utterly helpless.

Seated and pondering thus, he heard a gentle voice deep inside. "What you search outside is actually inside you." said the soothing voice. His mental eye opened and a sudden gush of life-giving energy coursed through his mortal veins and he experienced the Ultimate Truth. A mass of pure white light engulfed him within and without. He saw light all around. Everything was made of pure light. The stones, the trees, everything living or dead was throbbing with pure light. He embraced the light and became one with it. He became The Buddha - The Enlightened One.

Buddha is light. Buddha is a state of mind. Buddha is in everyone. To find him look inside yourself. The light shall reveal itself and you shall become one with it.

The Countdown Begins

Dear One,

2010 is just around the corner. Another year is going to pass by. In introspection, 2009 was a year of mixed feelings and experiences. The day to day life of the common man was affected by many unexpected events of human error, terror and natural catastrophes. Inflation & recession were the keywords of this passing year. Man's quest for security continues.

This year nature too wasn't so co-operative. It made it's ire known through various natural calamities and disasters. Man's patience is slowly running out and so is Nature's. Both are preparing for a cataclysmic death dance. We have not yet understood our role in damaging the earth's eco-system and it was evident in the fallout of the Copenhagen Global Summit '09.

Now, what can we expect from 2010 after a precarious year. You tell me. What is going to be your contribution this year? Nature has given us umpteen chances to redeem ourselves from this predicament, yet we have taken everything for granted. We still use plastic when we know it's not bio-degradable. We still have high lead emission from our vehicles to add on to the existing woes. Noise pollution too have reached an all time high. Smokers have inadvertently added non-passive smokers to their death list.

Let 2010 be an year of awareness and action. Let's talk less and do more. Let's preach less and practice more. Let's love more and for our own sake, no wars please. It's sheer wastage of precious resources. Let's understand the pulse of Mother Earth and respect it's contribution. Let's live a little better and make things much better for us and the generations yet to come.

Let this be your unbreakable New Year's Resolution. The clock is ticking. Wake up for once and get doing your duties before it's too late.

Good luck!

Windows 7

Dear One,

Have you played around with Win 7. Recently after much persuasion I decided to switch to Win 7 from the disastrous Vista. My cousin formatted my HDD and did a clean install. My laptop started with a hot flush. It became so hot literally that it shut down automatically. I was fuming and my cousin was sweating as he couldn't figure out his next move.

Luckily, as the laptop cooled down it started as usual. However something was different this time. The startup screen and the smoothness of the desktop made me look up in wonder. What caught my attention was the wall paper of the new Win 7.

It shows a tiny colorful fish (Most probably a Siamese Fighter Fish) gently swimming in deep blue waters in search of light. What a courageous story it weaves. Leaving behind all fears and inhibitions this little hero ventures into unknown territory. It travels fearlessly from the depths of darkness to the realm of pure light. This picture conveys a thousand ideas for great living.

Few of them are -

1. Don't be afraid of the unknown. It is a start of a wonderful adventure.

2. Above darkness there is light

3. Swim alone if you must but never give up on your dreams

4. Let not size deter you from exploring your unlimited possibilities

5. Keep swimming; else you shall drown

6. Don't get caught in the net of self-doubt else you shall become a snack for someone

7. Look up and you shall always find light. Look down and there is an endless abyss for sure

8. Travel light. Baggage will make you sink

9. When a tiny fish can be known for it's fighting spirit, how much more we can be

10. In the end the world will recognize you by what you did and not what you missed

Never stop at miles stones. It is just to remind you that the final destination is near. So walk on.

Huna - The Secret

Dear One,

Ancient world had many life transforming mysteries. Powerful principles were shared for the well being of the entire world. Wisdom then, didn't have any boundaries. All it wanted was to create a sense of balance between man and nature. The ancients were one with nature and knew many of it's powerful secrets. Later as man grew in power and intellect he rubbished the age old teachings and practices as hearsay. What was beyond his comprehension was branded heretic. The principles thus were lost to oblivion. What remained were meaningless rituals and men fighting for it's upkeep.

One such lost teaching is the Huna. It comes from the island of Hawaii where nature and man lived as one. The men and women of ancient Hawaii were people of simple yet profound values. Nature was their life breath and they guarded it fiercely.

Huna means The Secret. A secret that has the power to transform. It was wisdom in it's purest form. To know 'The Huna' was to understand and harness the power of nature and your mind and use it for beneficial purposes. This ancient healing art and earth science is made up of seven powerful principles. Experiencing it's concept gave the opportunity to integrate the vital force of nature and experience peace and oneness as never before.

The 7 principles are -

1. IKE - The world is what you think it is

2. KALA - There are no limits. Everything is possible

3. MAKIA - Energy flows where attention flows

4. MANAWA - Now is the moment of power

5. ALOHA - To love is to be happy with

6. MANA - All power comes from within

7. PONO - Effectiveness is the measure of truth

Understanding and utilizing the 7 principles of Huna is intended to bring about healing and harmony through the power of the mind.

More on Huna later...

Bigg Boss Ke Ghar Se...!

Dear One,

I ain't a big fan of Bigg Boss. Neither I am a reality TV freak. But whenever I tune in to Bigg Boss, I watch every bit of the drama, the copious tear shedding and the scheming politics of the inmates to pull each other down with knowing silence. The minute the drama is over my mind races towards a thousand observations.

Just like the inmates of the BB house, we too are primarily occupied with ourselves. There is a dark face lurking behind every ornate mask. Only God knows how many masks we have adorned to play our parts. We are living in a real world with fake identities. Everyday when we see our face in the mirror a stranger stares back at you. Don't you think?

Can't we just drop our masks and reclaim our true identity. Why can't you accept me the way I am. Why do I have to force myself to smile when I wish to frown. Why do I have to say 'Yes' when 'No' is what I meant. Why do you expect me to understand you, when you least understand me. Why can't you live your life and let me live mine. Why do you always relate me to one of my masks. Any answers?

I realize life is just an effort to peel off all the masks and come face to face with the real you. In the end when we let go off all the masks we become complete. We become free. We become what we really are. We become One. We Reclaim our true identity.

Thank you Bigg Boss!

On Living Your Dreams

Dear One,

I have a dream. I want to fly and commune with the vast blue sky. I want to talk to the birds about their day to day life. I want to smell the freshness of the summer mist and flutter like the colorful butterflies. I want to experience the moment of stillness when the bee collects it's manna from the flowers by and by.

I have a dream. I want to explore the oceans with no one by my side. To the very depths I wish to descend to find the treasures of life. I wish to witness the humble oyster at it's inspired best, turning a grain of sand into a precious pearl fit for a Queen. I want to see nature admire itself through my joy filled eyes.

I have a dream. I wish to dream beyond imagination. I wish to dream beyond limitations. I wish to dream about life so that I can transcend death. For what is a dream, but silent messages from God to keep yourself alive.

I have a dream. And all you people... Don't bother waking me up.

Zen & The Art Of Mindfulness

Dear One,

As I am writing this piece, my neighbor's dog is barking it's gut out in appreciation. Highway decibels are reaching an all time high. My mercury is rising bit by bit and then again I am writing this article on mindfulness. That's nothing short of a paradox.

Sometimes I think how the Masters of yore might have reacted to such mundane situations in their own lives. Imagine the blessed Buddha preparing to meditate and a watchful stray dog getting ready to bark. And thus ensures the holy war between sound and silence. Who do you think will win this wordless match? The dog barks and the Buddha smiles and closes his eyes into blissful oblivion.

Don't you ever feel the need for retiring to a space so sacred and still that all sounds dissolves in heavenly silence.

Zen tells us to 'Just be'. There will be times when all words fail to convey what we feel, then 'Just Be'. There will be sane people asking insane questions, even then 'Just Be'. Situations will take over the best of you, then too 'Just Be'. The world will one day dissolve as shown in 2012, so what? 'Just Be'

'Just Be' is being who you are, where ever you are, how ever you are. It is living in the present moment with complete awareness of your whole being. Deep inside you is the cave of the ancients where you can retire everyday to drown all earthly noises. By looking inside you shall someday find the meaning to everything that's outside.

By the way, my neighbor's dog is still barking; but now who cares?

Am I A Hindu?

Dear One,

Yes and No. 'Yes', I am a Hindu for the simple reason that I was born in a land by which the river Indus once flowed. 'No', because Hinduism is just another organized religion like the rest with countless disorganized followers. Man has managed to limit the limitless. He claims exclusive copyright to the One who is beyond human comprehension. Million words have been written about the one who is beyond all description.In the name of religion, he exploits weaker minds by instilling the fear of the Unknown, or rewards the accepting with the promise of eternal life. He has created virtual 'Hell' of various degrees for man to purge his insurmountable sins.
After-death security is guaranteed, whereas life verily remains uncertain.

Dear One, stop for a moment and think. Does the air that you and I breath has any religion. Or does the love that you and I profess have any religious shades. Then why bring religion and it's biased beliefs in-between. Why can't you and I meet as humans and share the world as we share our very breaths. Why don't we stop thinking on behalf of God and start the new year by being just a human being with all the imperfections and live to tell it with glee.

So, which religion do you belong to?

In Search Of Silence

Dear One,

My mind wanders to far away places in search of answers. A thousand voices call upon me to hear their woes. Not one voice offer me comfort. It's a whirlwind of confusing emotions. It creates a vortex of desires to pull me down to deepest melancholy. Voices from the past try to dominate my present. Whispers from the future try to caution me of the road ahead. The present is rapidly turning itself into the past and I look on bewildered. What am I to do? Where am I to look? Who am I to ask for help?

In the commotion a gentle voice whispers to me, "Look within and you shall find what you seek." I try to find the face behind the voice, but in vain. I then ask "Who are you?" The gentle voice replies, "I am you."

I ponder wildly and ask again, "Who are you?"

The voice responds no more.

In silence I search for the voice. In silence I search for the face behind the voice. In silence I found God.

Christ in Christmas?

Dear One,

In the beginning was the word and the word was with God. God wanted the word to be known and He sent His only son to spread the word. The word that the son spread was Love. Love beyond all caste and creed. Love above all hate. Love above all religions and religious beliefs. He didn't teach anything out of the world; he just lived a life of love & simplicity. He loved so that man could love like him. He died so that man could live like him. His entire life was an expression of love. Love for all human beings alike. No boundaries, no clauses, no expectations, only love for love's sake. Love is the only living religion and he lived it completely. Everything else is history.

Let's celebrate the birth of love incarnate. Let's celebrate life.

Happy Christmas.

The Beginning...

Dear One,

My soulful journey begins today. It was a spur decision of self-expression that led me to blogging. Moving on we shall see myriad outpourings of an ardent soul in search of life's mystical meaning. From words of eternal wisdom to day to day knowledge this blog shall try to embrace all with equal ease.

Come, be a part of the inner journey. Be blessed. Be happy.